Feeding the community feeds the soul Elks volunteers, Homeless Center provide second of three dinners for veterans, area’s homeless citizens

Thursday

Apr 10, 2014 at 3:15 AM

By LILY O’GARAnews@fosters.com

ROCHESTER — The Rochester Elks Lodge opened its doors to the less fortunate Sunday afternoon, holding a dinner for the homeless. Elks members partnered with the Homeless Center for Strafford County and arranged for taxis to transport attendees to and from the lodge.

The lodge recently received a $2,000 Beacon Grant from the Elks National Foundation in Chicago. The Beacon Grant is one of several grants under the Elks National Foundation’s Community Investments Program which, according to the national website, “invests $8.68 million in Elks communities through Lodge grants that help Elks meet local needs.” One of the grant’s stipulations is that the money must be used for charitable purposes and to benefit the community. According to the national website, the grant must be used to fund a new, ongoing project that is Elks-led; the money cannot be used for donations of funds or supplies.

After considering these requirements, the members of the Rochester lodge decided to pursue an ongoing project, providing meals for veterans and the homeless. Sunday’s meal was one of three dinners funded by the grant; the lodge held its Veterans Fish Fry last month, and will hold another veterans event after the city’s Memorial Day Parade.

Five volunteers prepared Sunday’s feast, which included stuffed chicken breast, peas, squash, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, and brownies for dessert. The chefs also made mac and cheese and chicken fingers for young attendees.

Jim Clark, one of the volunteers and a member of the lodge for the past three years, said that he was happy to help out for such a good cause and that charity is crucial in these tough economic times.

Susan Ford, the executive director of the Homeless Center for Strafford County, said that the Elks’ assistance was very much appreciated.

“We’re full all the time, from the day we open until the day we close,” Ford said of the seasonal emergency center, which can provide for 25 people from October through April.

Ford said that 47 to 50 percent of the center’s residents are children under the age of 18.

“We are super grateful to the Elks,” Ford said.

Norman Gervais, the lodge’s secretary and an Elks member for the past 43 years, said that he felt the event went well.

“It’s a great organization,” Gervais said. “We do many community things. … We’re a very active lodge.”

In addition to serving as secretary, Gervais is Chairman of the Elks National Foundation, a position he’s held since 1981. He reported that the Rochester lodge has donated $180,974 to the national lodge since ’81.

Gervais highlighted several of the Elks’ national endeavors, including the annual Hoop Shoot, Soccer Shoot, Drug Awareness Program and Scholarship Program. Gervais said that the Elks’ scholarship contributions are second only to the United States Government’s funding. According to the national website, the Elks National Foundation awards over $3.65 million in scholarship money to high school seniors each year.

“Our youth is our future,” Gervais said.

Clark and Gervais agreed, too, that recruiting members and increasing the lodge’s community footprint is key.

“We have a great bunch of people here,” Clark said. “When I was younger, the Elks was the place to be and we’re trying to get it back to that status.”